Word Origin & History

puff O.E. pyffian "an act of puffing," of imitative origin. Used of small swellings and round protuberances since 1538. Meaning "type of light pastry" is recorded from 1419; that of "small pad for applying powder to skin or hair" is from 1658. Figurative sense of "flattery, inflated praise" is first recorded 1732. Puffy "swollen" is from 1664. Puff-ball, type of fungus, is from 1649; puffer, type of fish, is from 1814.

Example Sentences for puff out

Let us go seek him, and make him puff out his rough cheeks and pipe his merriest air!

While baking this paste will rise and puff out in form like a cylinder.

He did puff out his cheeks defiantly, to be sure, and mutter incoherently, but that lasted for only a few seconds.

The male can puff out his head-skin into an enormous helmet.

To Tom and Debby one of their greatest treats was to stand and see the engine puff in and puff out on its way again.

By noon to-morrow I will give you a revision which will puff out the cheeks of the Philistines with satisfaction.

When in consequence of being depressed in one place, it seems to puff out in another.

Clouds of smoke they puff out straight into your face till you'd think 'twas a fiery-breathing dragon in the room!

It is big work for tiny creatures, and they must kick up their dimpled legs and puff out their chubby cheeks to do it.

He would have given a great deal for a pipe at that moment, so that he could puff out great clouds of smoke as a disinfectant.